


Skate Into My Heart

by grovestep



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, I consider a slow burn to be slow leading into sex, Kissing, M/M, Modern Era, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rare Pairings, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Tags May Change, Work In Progress, boombox, there will be sex eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-13 01:35:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14739602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grovestep/pseuds/grovestep
Summary: Jamison Fawkes is an ordinary car mechanic. His life is wholly uneventful, that is, until a dashing young man skates into his life. Lucio Correia dos Santos is a charming musician and DJ who enjoys skating, dancing, and making rugged and handsome mechanics squirm. Jamison believes it to all be in his head, but Lucio is hellbent on making it something more.





	1. The Mechanic and the Frog

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever Overwatch fic! I hope I did this ship justice. This is a work in progress and I will try to update it regularly. Enjoy!

Jamison Fawkes stared at the underbelly of an over-stylized '59 Cadillac, mulling over the inner workings of the vehicle as he wiped his hands with a dingy cloth. Footsteps broke his train of thought as someone approached the front of the vehicle, dropping something heavy on the concrete floor of the shop. Jamison finished messing with the oil pan before sliding out from the underbelly on his mechanic's creeper. "What do ya want now, ya big bloke?" Jamison asked, expecting to be greeted by the giant stomach of his boss, Mako Rutledge. Instead, Jamison stared up at the toned calves and dark thighs of a man in shorts. A style that Mako failed to pull off. The man above him let out an awkward laugh, stepping back so Jamison wasn't staring directly up at his crotch. Jamie played it cool, sliding back under the car only to appear on the other side. He walked around the Cadillac back to his original position in front of the stranger.

"Sorry, mate, though ya were m'boss," he said, holding out one hand for a shake. He looked down at his palm, which was covered in grease despite his efforts with the cloth, and gave a lopsided grin. "Er, maybe hold off on the shake for now, yea?" he wiped his hand down his bare chest before shoving it in his pocket. The man's eyes creased at the sides as he smiled, something that Jamie found subtly charming. He wrinkled his nose at the intrusive thought. "What can I do ya for?"

The man picked up a pair of roller skates off the floor, "Think you can repair my skates? I had a bad wipe-out earlier playing street hockey," he said. 

Jamison paused. He stared at the man through squinted eyes, sizing him up. The man didn't look daft. A little posh, maybe, but that didn't always mean missing a few marbles. 

"Mate...you know you're at a car repair shop, right?" he asked and pointed to the sign that read "Rutledge Repair and Body". 

Skate-Man let out a laugh. It was melodic, almost like music. It echoed through the repair shop's garage, carrying on even after he was done. "I know very well where I'm at. These aren't just any skates. They're more car than anything," he said with a wink. Jamison blinked, his brow creasing. 

"Wot?" 

"They're motorized and have a special function that helps you keep your balance. Something about centrifugal force..."

Jamison tuned out of his explanation of the car-skates. His short attention span resented lengthy explanations of things he could figure out himself by taking something apart. He stared at the man, his eyes flicking across his features. Something was familiar about him. He reeked of posh life, even if he was covered in sweat and slumming it in a repair shop. Jamie clicked his tongue as he tried to place him. "AH-HAH!" he exclaimed, interrupting the man's tirade and making his eyes widen in surprise. "You're that Brazilian froggy bloke who does the music!"

"Oh, uh. _That_ ," the man said. Jamie watched him withdraw, seeming to fold in on himself. He gave Jamie a shrug. This was the opposite of the pumped up DJ he sometimes saw on TV. "Lucio. Um, none of the 'froggy bloke' thing, please." 

Jamie straightened his back, regaining a professional composure. At least, as professional as he could manage. "Well, Lucio, I'm not so sure--"

"Rat!"

Jamie jumped, whipping around as the hulking shape of his boss appeared out of the back office. Mako's piercing blue eyes leveled Jamie with a hardened stare over the gas mask he wore for paint jobs. Jamie looked at his boss with saucer-wide eyes. Mako motioned to Lucio before disappearing back into his office to do god knows what. Jamison gulped. "Right-o. What I meant to say was, we'd be happy to take a look at your, uhm, more-car-than-skates."

Lucio seemed to perk up at that, handing the skates over to Jamie. Their fingers met for a moment, sending a jolt all the way from Jamie's fingertips, through his spine, and to the tips of his toes. He managed a smile, exposing one of the gold caps on his canines. If Lucio felt the same surge of electricity, he didn't let on. Jamie shrugged it off as nerves from having an actual celebrity in his shop, wanting his assistance. 

"When can I expect them done?" Lucio asked, shoving his hands in his pockets before leaning against the wall with one shoulder, his legs crossed at the ankle. It was then Jamison realized he was barefoot. Each toenail was panted a different color of the rainbow and, somehow, Jamie wasn't surprised. Lucio cleared his throat, startling the mechanic out of his trance.

"Oi, sorry, mate. Got a lot on me mind today. Big order, this," he said, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand as he jerked his chin toward the '59 Caddy. "If you come by tomorrow, though, I should have them fixed right up. Do you have a number I, er, we can contact when these are done?" Jamie expected Lucio to pull out a business card, but instead he pulled out a small pen from one of his many pants pockets. It was lime green and topped with a frog. Jamie snorted. 

"Do ya have a piece of paper?" he asked, twirling and weaving the pen through his fingers with ease. 

"'Fraid we're all out," Jamie said, "And me brain ain't the best at keepin' things like that in the ol' memory." 

"That's fine, uh, do you mind then?" Lucio asked, motioning to Jamie's bare arm and mimicking the act of writing with the pen. Jamie shook his head, extending his arm for the DJ to scrawl his number. Lucio looped his fingers around Jamie's wrist, keeping his arm still as he wrote. The mechanic had to stifle raucous giggles as the pen pressed and tickled at the flesh of his arm. He practically vibrated with the effort. Lucio's tongue poked out from between his lips as he wrote, a quirk that Jamie's brain didn't fail to commit to memory. When he was done, Lucio ran a finger over the carefully inked number, making sure it didn't smear. He was oblivious to the mechanic's elevated heartbeat, which was inevitably noticeable through the coursing of his veins and pulse point on his wrist. Jamie looked at the number on his arm, which was in handwriting that just embodied the DJ. He bit back the urge to tell him he wrote like a sheila. At the end of the number looked like a signature, but stylized into the shape of...a frog?

"I didn't give ya permission to go drawin' amphibians on me arm now," Jamie said. Lucio stammered, starting to apologize before noticing the manic grin on the mechanics face. Ah, a joke. He returned the grin with his own easy smile.

"Well, thanks for helpin' me out, ah..." Lucio said, leaving his mouth agape and brow knit together in thought as he fished for the man's name. His cheeks darkened a bit as he didn't come up with one.

"Don't worry, I didn't tell ya m'name. It's Jamison. Was never one for a posh name like that, so you can call me Jamie," he said, "I'll contact you tomorrow 'bout your skates. Fix 'em right up, good as when ya bought 'em at the mart." 

"Thanks again, then, Jamie," Lucio said, turning on his heel to leave the auto shop. He looked over his shoulder at the mechanic, giving him an open-palmed wave goodbye and a smile. Jamie stood in place for a moment, listening to the gentle pap-pap-pap of Lucio's bare feet against the sidewalk as he disappeared. He collapsed against a wall, dropping the skates and running a hand through his dirty blonde hair. 

"Fuck, what is _wrong_ with me?" he muttered, scrubbing both hands over his face. Acting like a damn sheila over a barefooted, posh, froggy bloke. He stared at the skates with distaste. They were probably just regular old skates the bastard was too lazy to take to a skate shop. Jamie decided he'd deal with them immediately. Maybe he'd "accidentally" drop a glob of his lunch into the skates and conveniently forget about it. He picked them back up and trudged to his office, slamming the door behind him. 

\--  
Much to Jamison's distaste, the skates _were_ more car than anything else. Taking the damn things apart without ruining the whole pair was exhausting and tedious work. He used his long and deft fingers to poke and prod at the various mechanisms, trying to figure out what each of them did. As much as he hated to admit it, he was enjoying tinkering with the skates. They were unlike anything he'd ever seen before. He sat back in his chair and stared at them as he stretched his arms above his head. His shoulders creaked and cracked like gravel. Jamie stifled a yawn, looking at the digital clock on the wall. 1:30AM. Shit, he was not pulling an all-nighter for this bloke. He'd have to continue the work tomorrow at home if he wanted to get it done in time.

He grabbed a duffel from the corner, scooping the skates and his tools into the bag. He hauled the bag over his shoulder, hurrying out of the shop and locking up before hoofing it down to the block to his flat. Once he was inside the messy apartment, he cast the duffel-bag aside, collapsing on his bed and falling into a deep sleep.

He awoke a few hours later refreshed and ready to work. He dumped the contents of the bag out onto his kitchen table, taking a seat on his dilapidated chair. He worked well into the afternoon, damn near taking the skates entirely apart and putting them back together again. His eyes happened to glance down at his arm where Lucio's number was smudged from sweat. He panicked for a moment, realizing that the man might show up at the shop looking for his finished skates. If Jamison wasn't there, he might complain to Mako, and if he complained to Mako... Jamie gulped, not wanting to think about that.

He dug in his pocket, pulling out his phone. He dialed the number, pressing the phone to his ear with his shoulder as he continued to work on the skates. The phone rang once, twice...

" _Olá_?" The man's melodic voice answered. Jamie paused for a moment. He had expected the number to route him to the celebrity's agent, butler, voicemail...anything but the man himself. 

"Uh, hello, mate, it's Jamie from the shop," he said, muttering a curse under his breath as he dropped his screwdriver. 

"Oh, yea! I've been waitin' for a call from you. How're my skates coming? They ready?" 

"Uh, not quite. They're givin' me a little trouble, nothin' too big. I wasn't 'suppose to work today, so when I didn't finish them yesterday I, uh, brought them home with me to finish the job. I hope ya don't mind," he said. There was a pause on the other end, and Jamie's heart raced. The bugger was probably racing over to tell his boss.

"That's no problem! So long as they're getting fixed. Do you want me to pick them up at your place, then?" Lucio said, and Jamie's shoulders slouched in relief. Dodged a bullet there. And then he tensed again, his mind registering Lucio's question. 

"Oh, uh, I mean if you want to. I won't make you go outta yer way or anythin'. It's uh, not company policy," Jamie said as he prodded at what he assumed was the centrifugal whatsit Lucio was on about yesterday. 

"No, no, it's fine. I don't mind, really. You're fixin' up my babies, it's the least I can do in return besides, you know, pay you," Lucio said, and Jamie could hear the smile in his voice. The way he was about to laugh. He closed his eyes and pressed the heel of his palm against the space between his brows. Actin' like a bloody sheila, again. 

"Right-o, I'll try to have 'em done by the time ya get here. M'flat is just down the block from the shop. Shimada Apartments. Just tell the bloke at the front desk you wanna see Junkrat, he'll know what you mean," Jamie said. He heard the man on the other end say the nickname under his breath. 

"Oh-kay, I'll be there soon," Lucio said. Jamie could hear the questioning tone in his voice, but knew he was too polite to ask about it. Jamie decided he wouldn't supply answers to unspoken questions. He exchanged goodbyes with Lucio before hanging up the phone. 

He stood up from his chair, looking around his apartment. It was...a mess. The embodiment of his nickname. Old food boxes were strewn across the counters. His vintage Playboy mags were stacked in one corner, leaning precariously to one side. He knew he shouldn't care, but apart of him was embarrassed to no end thinking that the pretty froggy bloke would see what a mess he lived in. Of course, he could just stick his head out and hand over the skates. But what if they weren't done? He couldn't make the lad stay out in the hallway. He didn't live with the best of people, and Lucio reeked of social status and money. It would be like making him hold a sign that said, "Mug me!"

So, Jamie set to work cleaning to the best of his ability. He swept the trash off the counter and into the bin. He shoved as much laundry as he could into the washing machine, and kicked the rest into the hamper. The dishes in the sink that were growing alien colonies he threw in the trash, too embarrassed and disgusted with himself to clean them. His eyes landed on the Playboy magazines, and he thrummed his fingers against his chin in thought. He grabbed one of the blankets covering the couch and threw it over the stack. He stood back and looked at his handiwork. Now it looked like a disorganized person lived there, and not a lazy hoarder. 

It wasn't long after he sat back down to finish the skates that a knock came on the door. Jamie was startled out of his work trance, his head swinging up to the door. "Just a secoooond!" he said as he tightened one of the screws on the skates. He hurried over to the door before any potential muggers descended upon his guest. He opened the door was was greeted with a sweat drenched Lucio, bare chested and his dreads pulled back off his face by a bandanna. Jamie felt his breath catch in his throat. 

"Hey there," Lucio said, and Jamie damned his ever-cool attitude. Of course, he wasn't staring directly at a glistening set of abs and biceps. In fact, he was staring at a sleep deprived slob of an Australian. Jamie shuffled to the side, opening the door wider so Lucio could come in. The shorter man slipped into the doorway, and to Jamie's relief, didn't seem to pay attention to the surroundings. The man's eyes were trained on the skates.

"Just about got 'em finished. Ya weren't lying when ya said they were more car than skates. Took me 'alf the night and most of the day jus' to put 'em back together," Jamie said as he closed to door and came up behind Lucio. He dwarfed the man in size, but Jamie had a feeling the shorter man could still kick his arse if he felt like it. He skirted around Lucio to reclaim his seat. 

"Sorry about that, I know it's probably not something you're used to," Lucio said, rubbing the back of his neck and offering Jamie an apologetic smile. 

"No sweat off my back. I like takin' things apart, seein' what makes 'em tick," Jamie said, using that fact to distract himself from Lucio's abs. He resumed prodding at the skates, set on fixing the centrifugal doo-dad once and for all. 

"You seem to be that sort of guy," Lucio said as he watched Jamie, "You have a...calculating gaze."

"That so?" Jamie asked, quirking a brow but not looking up from the skates. His cheeks flushed a light pink. He hoped the shitty lighting in his apartment would cover it up.

"Yea, it's like..." Lucio took a seat across from him at the table, splaying his hands on the wood, "When I came into the shop, your stare felt like you were picking me apart from the inside. It was kinda unnerving," he said.

"Oh, sorry 'bout that, uh, I..." Jamie floundered for an answer, feeling like he was caught in the act of stealing. He didn't look up from the skates to see Lucio's expression. He could see it in his head. Accusatory. Angry. 

"Then when you opened the door, that look was there again. Picking me apart..." Was that a hitch in his voice that Jamie heard? He dared a glance up from the skates. Lucio was watching him, his eyes half-lidded and that damned easy smile on his face. The flush on Jamie's cheeks strengthened, and he averted his eyes again. "It's almost like you can see right into my soul. You know, not many people look at me like that. They only see DJ Lucio, the celebrity. I was afraid it was like that when you figured out who I was," Lucio said, letting out a chuckle. There was a creak as he leaned back in the chair, "But the way you _looked_ at me. I knew that wasn't so."

Jamie worked faster, and, dammit, why were his hands shaking? He reached for his screwdriver, but his palms were too sweaty and hands too shaky to keep a grip on it. It fell from the table, spiraling to the floor. He startled from his seat to catch it, and before he knew it, Lucio was right there, leaning down to catch it, too. The DJ's reflexes were faster than his own, and he caught it in his palm. They were so close it was driving Jamie mad. He could smell Lucio's citrus cologne and the tangy scent of his sweat. He could feel Lucio's breath by his ear, the heat radiating off his body. He stifled a whine, biting his lip. Lucio pressed the screwdriver into his open palm, clasping his hand to stop Jamie's shaking. "Easy, easy, lindo," he said, and a shiver ran through Jamie's spine at how close those words were breathed right up against his ear, and his head was swimming with too many racing thoughts to ask what _lindo_ meant. Probably idiot, stupid, or a million other insults, but Jamie didn't care. This man could call him the worst names in the book and it would still sound like music. 

"Th-th-thank you," Jamie stammered, and when he looked at Lucio the man had already withdrawn, leaning back in his chair with that easy grin on those plump kissable lips, and, fuck, what was he thinking? Lucio just gave him a wink, acting as though nothing happened. Had anything happened? Had he imagined it? A droplet of sweat ran down his forehead, and he wiped it off with the back of his arm, leaving a smear of ink from the number Lucio had written on it. 

"Hey, now, you might need that later," Lucio said, motioning to the number. Jamie boggled at him with wide eyes. "You know, in case I have another skate emergency," he explained as though it were obvious, but there was something in his voice that made Jamie's stomach heavy and his pants tighten. This man was _toying_ with him. 

"Oh, right. Well, I have it in me phone already. I'll keep in there, then, if ya like," Jamie said, finishing up the skates and trying with all his might to keep the quiver out of his voice.

"Mm, yea, keep it there. You never know when I'll go flying ass over elbows and break a skate," Lucio said as he took the finished skates as Jamie pushed them across the table. 

_Or head over heels_ , Jamie thought, mentally berating himself for being such a fuckin' sheila as of late. Reading into this man's actions like he meant something to him. 

"Well, thank you again. I really appreciate it. I'll head down to the shop to make the payment. I wish there were more I could do to show my gratitude," Lucio said as he got up from his seat.

_I'll tell you what you can do, you sexy piece of_ \--, "Uh-ha, it's no problem. Don't worry about it, mate," Jamie said, following Lucio to the door. The man was almost out into the hallway when he turned around again.

"Oh, and Jamie?"

"Whazzat, mate?"

"You have something on your forehead."

Jamie had only time to blink before Lucio brushed his bangs off his forehead, rubbing the heel of his palm across the ink mark from earlier. Jamie's amber eyes stared into Lucio's chocolate brown ones, their noses brushing tips. Jamie swore he could feel Lucio's lips against his own, feather light, chaste. But just like that, Lucio was gone, walking down the hallway, his melodic chuckle trailing behind him. Jamie stared after him, his fingers going to brush against his lips. What the _fuck_ just happened?


	2. The Curious Case of the Skates in the Park

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jamie is summoned to the park to fix a skate emergency. Or so he thinks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the support so far!! I'm really enjoying this fic.   
> I don't have a reliable beta reader rn so I apologize if there's any typos or continuity issues.  
> If you wanna chat or send a recommendation or otherwise, hmu at anokisyogastudio on tumblr!  
> There's also mentions of prosthetics in this and it's a little sad, if that isn't your jam.

Jamison Fawkes would be lying if he said he hadn’t checked his phone an embarrassing amount of times ever since the dashing DJ left his apartment. At work he would sneak a peek while changing the oil of a car, pull it out during a paint job, or use his elbows to activate the home screen when his hands were full with a wrench and screwdriver. At home he would jump at every notification, looking at the messages with wide eyes until he realized they were not what he was looking for. 

Mako had noticed. He noticed everything, to Jamie’s distaste. He loomed over Jamie’s shoulder when he thought he was being sneaky, shadowing Jamie’s view of his screen.

“An emergency, Junkrat?” Mako said in his deep rumble of a voice.

"Would you believe me if I said I'm waitin' for a text from me mum?" Jamie asked, giving the wall of a man the best puppy dog eyes he could muster. Mako shook his head, crossing his arms, and looked at Jamie with eyes that could kill. Jamie gulped. He thought not. Even Mako knew he was estranged from his family. He shoved his phone back into his pocket, not wanting to lose money off his paycheck. Or an arm. When Mako didn't move from his stance blocking Jamie's exit, the smaller man looked up at him. He placed his hands against Mako's stomach and pushed. "C'mon, mate! I put it away, now lemme get back to my work!" he said, but his boss didn't budge.

"You can talk to me, you know," Mako said. It was soft, quiet. A voice he reserved for good friends, and good friends only. Jamie averted his eyes, shivering under Mako's razor-sharp gaze. 

"It's nothin', really. I swear it," Jamie said as he crossed his heart with his fingers. He managed to look back up at his boss, no, his friend with a lopsided grin. Mako didn't need to say anything, his facial expression was enough. He wasn't buying it. "Listen, it's somethin', but it's somethin' I can handle. For now. I guess. Just...trust me, alright? I got it. It's dumb anyways," he said, realizing too late that he was babbling and he hoped Mako didn't read into it. The larger man squinted his eyes at Jamie. It felt like an eternity before he nodded, stepping aside to let Jamie pass and get back to work. Jamie's shoulders immediately slumped as he felt the tension seep away. 

—

A week and a half later Jamie had given up hope and shoved the memory of that damned easy smile and deep brown eyes into the back of his head. He was once again staring up at the underbelly of another car, picking apart what he could see with his eyes, formulating his next move. His phone was shoved in his pocket and jabbed uncomfortably into his side as he lay on the mechanic’s creeper. The phone went off with a loud ring. Jamie flew up from the creeper, banging his head on the underbelly of the car. The ring echoed in his ears even as the phone stopped. He slid out from under the car to avoid another head trauma, and despite himself, quickly opened the phone to check the message.

His heart skipped a beat as he read the text.

_Hey! Can you come by the park @ 6? I have skate problem to be fixed ASAP._

The text was signed Lucio, followed by a smiling frog emote. Jamison was glad he was already laying down, or else he would have called flat on his ass. He stared at the text for a long while, fingers ghosting over a reply, but never getting the courage to type out a message. He looked around the shop, making sure Mako wasn't around to chastise him or interrogate him about what was more important than his job. Satisfied that the man wasn't going to jump out and surprise him, he typed back a reply. 

_Why not the shop? - J_

Time seemed to stand still as Jamie waited for a reply. He sat on his mechanic's creeper, staring down at the phone like it would jump up and bite him. Was he too rude? Should he just agree to go? Should he have replied at all? He bit his bottom lip, worrying it between his teeth. _Stupid, stupid, stupi--_

_Just come by! I'll make it worth your while. -Lucio_

The text was signed with a...winking frog emoji? Jamie squinted at the text. He quirked his eyebrows, wondering what that could mean. What did he mean by 'worth your while?' A million scenarios raced through Jamie's head, none of them good. Well, some of them good, but the majority of them very, very bad. He felt light headed, and laid back onto the board with wheels just to feel grounded. He laid his palms flat on the cold concrete floor, his phone resting on his stomach. Why would Lucio want him to come to the park instead of the shop? His mind parroted back a million different memories of people playing pranks on him when he was younger, taking advantage of his gullible nature. Could this be like that? Was he going to coax him out of the comfort of his shop only to embarrass him in front of his friends? He scrubbed his hands over his face, letting out a deep sigh. His phone dinged again, and he felt the vibration quake through his stomach.

_Please? :(_

Jamie let out a groan. He thought of those brown eyes, and how they would undoubtedly be giving him a stellar puppy dog look. They probably worked on all of his fan girls. He thought of those soft lips quirking into a pout. He might even take his bandanna off and clutch it to his chest, a-la _Puss in Boots._ With another groan, he typed out a reply. 

_I will be there._

He resisted the urge to include a smiley face or other equally as embarrassing emoji. Lucio was just being a friendly customer, that was all. He busted his skates again and couldn't make it across town to the shop. His mind still buzzed with anxiety, but he managed to anchor himself in reality just enough to become a functional human being. He hauled himself to his feet, glancing at the clock. He still had a couple hours to kill, so he busied himself with Mr. Reyes' paint job on his sleek black motorcycle. He got lost in the motions of painting skulls and shotguns on dark metal, pushing the image of Lucio's lips, and Lucio's eyes, and Lucio's abs and _Lucio_ \--

The raucous alarm he had set on his phone broke him out of the litany. He glanced at the clock. 5:45. He should start heading over. His clothes were speckled with black and white paint, and there were red ridges along his cheeks and nose where the paint mask had been, but he didn't have time to care. He made sure Mr. Reyes' bike was properly taken care of before booking it out of the shop. A part of his mind urged him not to rush and make a fool of himself, to act casual and arrive on time, if not a little late. The other part was screaming at him to get there as fast as he could, to see what the man wanted, to just _see_ him again. 

He was out of breath and sweaty when he arrived. He stopped by one of the water fountains, bending at the waist with his hands on his knees. He sucked in air like he had never breathed before. He clambered for the water fountain, shoving his face beneath the weak trickle of water. He ran some of it through his hair, scrubbed it over his face, then drank in short gulps. He ignored the park-goers looking at him like he was a crazed homeless man. _Let them look_ , he thought with a scowl as he flipped one man the bird. The man's eyes widened as he hurried away, like something bit him in the ass. 

"Jamie! Hey, Jamie!" 

Jamie had to close his eyes at the sound of the familiar, melodic voice. He tried to suppress the shiver than ran down his spine. He took two deep breaths, counted to five, and turned around. Lucio was running up to him, clad with a shirt and shoes, this time. Jamie was almost disappointed. Almost. Until he saw the grin on Lucio's face, how it reached all the way to his eyes. How his nose scrunched up just a little, and his dimples stuck out for the world to see. _I've really stepped in it now_ , he thought as he crossed his arms across his chest, trying to look calm and collected. "Heya, mate," he said, his eyes not leaving Lucio's smiling face. 

"I'm so glad you could make it!" Lucio said. It looked as though he were about to pull Jamie into a hug, but he hesitated. Jamie could see something flash in the man's brown eyes, an emotion he couldn't quite place. Fear? No... _nervousness_? Jamie bit the inside of his cheek when Lucio settled for a handshake instead. 

"It is my job, yanno. Even if it ain't handled in the shop," Jamie said, "So, uh, where's the skates?" 

Lucio looked at him like he grew three heads, and Jamie's stomach sank. So, he really did call him here to embarrass him. His friends were going to come out of the woodwork to throw...to throw...oh, he didn't know. Pies, or something. He took a step back, looking for an escape route if things went to shit. Lucio saw his expression and grabbed his wrist, giving him that dazzling, easy smile. "Oh yea, the skates! Follow me, I wanna show you something," Lucio said. He tugged on Jamie's wrist. It wasn't insistent, but inviting. Jamie knew that if he pulled away, Lucio would let him. Instead, he let the shorter man guide him to what could only be described as a concrete pit in the ground with other various ramps and ridges around the outside. A lone woman was sitting on top of one of the ramps, chewing bubblegum and swinging her legs. She perked up at the sight of Lucio. 

"Hana! This is the guy I wanted you to meet!" Lucio called up the her. The lithe girl clambered down from her perch, landing easily beside the two men. She blew a bubble with her gum and popped it, making Jamie flinch. She quirked an eyebrow at him, but gave him a smile. One Korean girl embarrassing him wasn't as bad as the droves of people he had imagined in his head.

"Hiya! I'm Hana! Lucio won't shut up about you, you know," she said, extending her hand for a shake. Jamie shook it, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open slightly.

"Uh-hah?" was all he could manage. His eyes flicked between Lucio and Hana. Lucio looked ready to push Hana into the concrete pit. His cheeks darkened with a blush, and his eyes widened, giving her a look like she said way too much. 

"Oh, I just mean...like, how good you fixed his skates! Nobody has ever gotten them to work right when he busts them," Hana said, then leaned in conspiratorially, "And he always busts his skates."

"Hana! I do not!" Lucio said, relinquishing his grip on Jamie's wrist, which he noticed had grown tighter when Hana started talking. He swatted at her, and she let out a shriek of a laugh. They tussled for a moment, until Hana got Lucio into a headlock, rubbing her knuckles against his scalp. Lucio squirmed in her grip, gasping for air as he laughed.

"Admit you bust your skates all the time!" Hana said between laughs.

"AGH! Okay! Okay! I bust my skates all the time! Now, please, not the dreads!"

That seemed to satisfy Hana, and she released Lucio from the vice grip. Lucio stood up straight and fussed with his hand, shooting Hana a dirty look. He looked back at Jamie, arms crossed. The look on his face was pensive, as though couldn't decide what to say next. Hana popped a bubble again, as though urging Lucio to speak. He shot her another dirty look, reminiscent of the ones Mako always gave Jamie if he was up to no good. "So, uh, I _did_ bust my skates. Again. But that's not the only reason why I wanted you to come by the park," Lucio said, uncrossing his arms and putting his hands in his pockets. 

_Oh boy, here it comes. Embarrassment city. He knows you like him, you stupid bloke, and he's gonna take you by the balls and make you regret it_ , Jamie's mind raced. He stared at Lucio dubiously. 

But the smile Lucio gave him wasn't malicious. It was that same, damned, easy smile that drew him in and played his heartstrings. The man took him by the arm again. Gentle. Inviting. Hana stayed back by the ramp and watched as Lucio lead Jamie down into the pit. Jamie nearly tumbled headlong down the slope if it weren't for Lucio's steady hand. He supported Jamie's weight as though he weighed nothing. Once at the center of the pit, Lucio let Jamie's arm go as he motioned to two pairs of skates leaning against one another. Jamie recognized the pair he worked on, green with an emblem of a frog wearing headphones emblazoned on them. The other pair was a deep orange color, almost amber, and embellished with flames.

"Ah, are those...Hana's?" Jamie asked. She didn't seem like the kind of girl to go for an industrial style. 

Lucio let out a laugh, knocking his shoulder against Jamie's. He bent down to pick up the orange pair. Jamie made sure to keep his eyes trained straight ahead, and not on Lucio's ass. The man extended the skates to him, urging him to take them. "No, they're yours," he said. Jamie looked thunderstruck.

"They're what?"

"They're yours! I wanted to, uh, repay you. You know. For fixing my skates," Lucio said. He seemed jittery all of the sudden. He shifted back and forth on his feet, and he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. His eyes wouldn't meet Jamie's. 

"Mate, you already payed me," Jamie said, but he didn't hand the skates back. Instead, he held them to his chest, as though they would sprout wings and fly away at any moment. He looked down at them. He snorted. They matched his eyes. The flames even looked hand-painted. He looked back up at Lucio, a brow cocked. 

"Yea, but, you seemed to really like my pair. Or at least seeing how they worked. I figured you'd appreciate a pair of your own to tinker with," Lucio said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Do you, uh, know how to skate?"

Jamie's mouth tilted into a frown, his lips tight. He turned his head away from Lucio to hide the blush that found its way to his cheeks. His shoulders slumped, "No," he said, "But I don't thin--"

"Oh, it's easy to teach! I could show you how!" Lucio said. Jamie thought the bloke would nearly jump out of his shoes.

"No, ah, Lucio. You don't understand, I _can't_ ," Jamie said, trying to slow Lucio down. Jamie's mind was in a panic, and he felt his chest tighten and heart race. 

"Sure you can! Anyone can skate. It's all about balance and going with the groove, ya know?" Lucio grinned at Jamie, looking so sure of himself. Gods, he didn't want to kill the smile on his face. 

"That's just it, mate," Jamie said in a tone that made Lucio stop talking. He looked at Jamie with big, wide eyes. Jamie let out a sigh. He pulled up his pant leg, exposing his prosthetic to the world. The blush of shame on his cheeks grew, and he knew there was no hiding it. He didn't know _why_ he felt ashamed, he just did, standing there in the middle of a park, practically laid bare in front of the man he couldn't stop thinking of. He let the prosthetic speak for him. 

"Oh," was all Lucio could manage. " _Oh._ "

Jamie bit back tears. He was not going to cry in front of this man. He was not going to cry over his stupid, fucking prosthetic leg he had gotten over, or at least told himself he'd gotten over, years ago. He pulled his pant leg back down, turning his back to Lucio. He put the skates back on the ground, "Thanks for the sentiment. You couldn't have know," he said. Lucio said nothing. His shoulders slumped, and he began the trudge back up the concrete pit.

_He thinks you're a bloody freak, now, Fawkes. Nice going. Can't quit starin' at him, bum leg, makin' shit up in your head._

Lucio grabbed Jamie's arm. Jamie stiffened. He turned around slowly. Lucio was looking up at him with those big, dumb, stupid brown eyes. Those stupid, kissable lips quirked into a pout. Jamie wiped away the tears that were burning at the corners of his eyes with the back of his hand. He looked down at Lucio and squared his shoulders, "Wot?"

"I'm sorry, Jamie. I fucked up. I...there's no excuse." Lucio said, "Guess I'm not really making this worth your while, huh?"

Jamie looked at the shorter man, amber eyes meeting brown. They stayed like that, staring at each other, for what felt like hours. Jamie couldn't bring himself to pull away from Lucio. He gravitated closer to the man, smelling his cologne. He felt like a coiled spring, ready to pop at any moment. Lucio wet his lips, letting out a shaky breath. They were both waiting for the other to do something, anything. 

"I, uh, think I...kind of like you," Lucio said, breaking the silence. Jamie's heart slammed against his chest, did a series of six back flips, and landed in his throat. He let out a strangled noise, and Lucio looked crestfallen, "Ugh, I'm sorry. First I fuck up with -- with your, ah, your leg, and then I dump this on you and, fuck, I'm sorry, Jami--"

Jamie pulled Lucio to him by the arms, leaning down and capturing the other man's mouth with his own, stopping the last few words before they could hit the air. Lucio stiffened in his grip before relaxing, his own arms reaching around Jamie's waist, running his hands up the small of his back. Keeping him close. Now, _this_ kiss Jamie could be sure was real. It wasn't a fleeting, chaste kiss that he thought he imagined in his apartment. Their chests were flush, Lucio's hands wandering up and down his sides, Jamie's hands ran through Lucio's hair, careful not to disturb his dreads too much. Lucio nipped at Jamie's bottom lip, eliciting a soft whine from the taller man. When they parted, they were breathless. Lucio stared at Jamie with those beautiful brown eyes and that heart melting easy smile. 

"I kind of like you, too." 

"Kind of" was the understatement of the century, but Jamie was okay with that. For now. 

They were broken out of their reprieve by Hana shouting, "Get a roooooom!" from where she perched on top of the ramp again. They pulled apart, looking at each other with huge smiles on their faces. Jamie rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly very self-conscious. Lucio giggled, a literal school girl giggle that made Jamie's stomach do funny things. The skates had been completely forgotten.

"Can I text you about things other than my skates?" Lucio asked. Jamie felt the need to reach out and caress Lucio's cheek, or hold his hand, or just touch him in any way to make sure he was real, and this wasn't some elaborate fever dream. 

" _Please_ ," Jamie said, and chastised himself for how fucking needy that sounded. Lucio never failed to make him act like a sheila. 

"Hana and I were going to get some boba tea...do you want to come?" Lucio asked. He seemed just as nervous as Jamie, buzzing with energy. 

"I'd love that."

Lucio went to fetch the skates before helping Jamie scale the incline. He didn't say a word as Jamie lost his balance, only put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, baring his weight. Jamie was thankful for that. The taller man walked in the middle of Hana and Lucio, a smile on his face as the two bickered back and forth. For once, things were going his way.


End file.
